Principles of Islam
16. God’s Blessing
~ 44 ~
That is, even when power is desirable, the
movement will begin from the point of character
building and individual reform instead of political
action.
Then God’s general gift is what is shared, more or
less by everyone. In principle, it consists of two
kinds of things – peaceful circumstances and the
easy availability of the necessities of life. This we
learn from the following verse of the Qur’an:
God has made an example of the city, which was
once safe and peaceful. Its provisions used to come
in abundance from every quarter: but its people
denied the favours of God. Therefore, He afflicted
them with famine and fear as a punishment for
what they did. (16:112)
Two things in this verse are called the blessings of
God: peace and provision. It shows that from the
worldly point of view these two things are essential
for human beings. If a group comes to possess these
two things, then it should not wage war for
anything else, such as political power. Rather
considering those blessings to be sufficient,
believers should engage themselves in thanksgiving
